Background <p>Professor Alberto Montori (1933–2021) was a Professor Emeritus and a pioneering figure in Italian and international digestive endoscopy and minimally invasive surgery.</p> Methods <p>This manuscript summarizes Professor Montori’s clinical and academic career, highlighting his impact on therapeutic endoscopy, surgical innovation, and mentorship.</p> Results <p>Professor Montori promoted endoscopic and minimally invasive approaches early in his career and helped establish structured training in surgical endoscopy. His Digestive Endoscopy Centre became a national reference center; by 1979, it was the only center in Rome performing ERCP and endoscopic papillo-sphincterotomy for biliary disease. He authored more than 446 publications and held major international leadership roles, including within UEGF, ESGE, and EAES, while also fostering international academic exchange and humanitarian surgical programs. Beyond his academic achievements, he was a devoted husband and father, and an exceptional mentor to multiple generations of students, surgical residents and attending surgeons.</p> Conclusions <p>Professor Montori’s legacy endures through the surgeons he trained and the lasting integration of therapeutic endoscopy and minimally invasive principles into modern digestive surgery. He will be deeply missed by his family and by those of us who were privileged to know him and share time with him.</p>